Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the base game by the player may vary.
Gaming machines which provide secondary or bonus games are also known. The secondary or bonus games usually provide an additional award, such as a bonus award, to the player. Secondary or bonus games usually do not require an additional wager by the player to be activated. Instead, secondary or bonus games are generally activated or triggered upon an occurrence of a designated triggering symbol or triggering symbol combination in the primary or base game. For instance, a bonus symbol occurring on the payline on the third reel of a three reel slot machine may trigger the secondary bonus game. When a secondary or bonus game is triggered, the gaming machine generally indicates this triggering to the player through one or more visual and/or audio output devices, such as the reels, lights, speakers, video screens, etc. Part of the enjoyment and excitement of playing certain gaming machines is the occurrence or triggering of the secondary or bonus game (even before the player knows how much the bonus award will be).
Certain known gaming machines are configured such that the players of these gaming machines compete for one or more awards such as progressive awards. Such progressive awards are typically displayed by one or more secondary display devices above the bank or group of gaming machines or in a separate display area of each of the gaming devices. Other known gaming machines or gaming systems are configured such that the players share with each other or can each win one or more awards. These awards are sometimes displayed by one or more secondary display devices above the bank or group of gaming machines. These types of group or community gaming systems (where the players are either competing for awards, where the players are sharing awards, or where the players are winning awards at the same time) are growing in popularity. Certain of these group or community gaming systems create an aura of excitement and entertainment for the people playing the gaming machines of the system and for people watching play.
For many such community gaming systems, certain players perceive an advantage when playing a gaming machine at a fully occupied or substantially fully occupied bank of gaming machines. When the gaming machines of such a bank of gaming machines are unoccupied or nearly unoccupied, such community gaming systems may deter certain players from playing at such a bank. For certain players, it is unclear whether other player activity at the gaming machines of various gaming systems is helpful or harmful to the individual player's chances of winning awards. There is a continuing need to provide community gaming systems which provide little to no disadvantage (actual or perceived), regardless of the quantity of players playing gaming machines of the gaming system and regardless of the magnitude of wagers being made by the players. There is a further continuing need to increase this excitement and entertainment for people playing and people watching play of group or community gaming systems. There is also need for new ways of providing better gaming experiences and environments at gaming machines. There is a further need for increasing social interactivity among people playing and people watching play of gaming machines which are or are not part of a group or community gaming system.